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Could The Hornets' Interest in Glen Davis Lead To Something Bigger?

By Celticsfanatic | July 9, 2009 | Celtics 17

McDyess headed to San Antonio.Wallace officially signs.Andersen re-signs with Denver for five years.I love Glen Davis. No, wait -- I LOVE Glen Davis. And apparently, so do the Hornets. New Orleans is reportedly keen on the restricted free agent, but is tied up with money issues which push them further behind in the race for (Big) Baby.From Marc Spears:According to an NBA source this morning, Davis is receiving interest from Boston, San Antonio, Detroit and New Orleans. San Antonio and Detroit are pursuing Detroit free-agent forward Antonio McDyess. The team left without McDyess could immediately turn its attention to Davis. While the Hornets are very interested, financial concerns limit them to only a possible sign-and-trade deal for Davis. Now who on the Hornets could we possibly be interested in? Well, here's a not-so-subtle hint from one of the first commentators who offered thoughts on the Spears article:"Sign and deal for...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Celtics, Eddie House, Glen Davis, James Posey, NBA, New Orleans Hornets, Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace

NBA Talk: Thabeet Didn't Come To The Grizzlies to Be a Scorer

By Josh Dhani | July 8, 2009 | Pacers Pulse

With the second pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies selected Hasheem Thabeet, center out of UConn. Rudy Gay said in ESPN The Magazine that he wants another Husky added towards the squad and Thabeet would be the man. Gay got his wish. Thabeet was a star out of UConn and took control over many players with his size, athleticism, and his durability. This guy looked like a center every NBA GM would definitely go after. Now here is Thabeeet, being on the Grizzlies and many talks have already been heard of him being a potential bust. Click here to finish this article at MemphisBlueBears.com....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Andrew Bynum, Chris Andersen, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Dikembe Mutombo, Erick Dampier, Hasheem Thabeet, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Jermaine O'Neal, Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Marc Gasol, Miami Heat, Mike Conley Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Draft, O.J. Mayo, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Ricky Rubio, Ron Artest, Rudy Gay, Shaquille O'Neal, Tyson Chandler, UConn, Zach Randolph

D-E-S-I-R-E

By Lex | July 8, 2009 | Fernsten's Follies

The Herald is reporting that Grant Hill may simply be attempting to leverage a better deal in Phoenix. "Grant is a very complex individual," a source told the Herald. "Complex" might not be the word I'd choose. Confused, perhaps, not complex. So we have Grant Hill going back to Phoenix or moving to New York and Stephon Marbury going to play for the Wiz. Looking back, I guess Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, and Charles Barkley deserve more credit than I thought. At least they had the desire to win a championship....

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Boston Celtics, Charles Barkley, Gary Payton, Grant Hill, Karl Malone, New York Knicks, Patrick Ewing, Phoenix Suns

Everybody Loves Slam Dunks!

By Zach Harper | July 8, 2009 | Talk Hoops

With all this depressing talk today of people stealing tapes, me pimping out my own writings, and salary caps and economic woes destroying the memories of millions of fans, I figured I'd pass along this video from Ethan Jaynes at NESW Sports. It's the Top 10 Slam Dunks of the past year. Here are my thoughts on each and every dunk (I know you were dying for them):10. Westbrook alley-oop off the backboard from Earl WatsonIf you're a European player, DON'T EVER STAND UNDER THE BASKET EVER! Someone is going to try to embarrass you. 9. Dahntay Jones yaks on Erick DampierI'm pretty sure Erick Dampier was reclassified as European five years ago.8. Tracy McGrady dunks on Tyrus ThomasTo borrow a line from Doc Holliday in Tombstone for T-Mac, "the tales of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." Okay, no they haven't but that was still nice to see from...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Dahntay Jones, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith, LeBron James, Mike Taylor, NBA, Russell Westbrook, Top 10 Dunks, Tracy McGrady

Here's Some Self-Promotion (Like Always)

By Zach Harper | July 8, 2009 | Talk Hoops

I don't know if you know who I am but I'm kind of a small deal. I recently started spewing my usual basketball nonsense over at one of the greatest basketball websites ever created -- Hardwood Paroxysm. I know what you're thinking, "What blackmail-type evidence do I have over Matt Moore?" Wouldn't you like to know?!?ANYWAY, I had my first article posted on the old HP on June 29th and Matt Moore gave me this introduction: Zach Harper is the author of TalkHoops.net and Cowbell Kingdom. He has difficulty (as most people do) with how fast I speak in real life. He's a former male gymnast who won gold at the 1994 Bel-Air gymnastics tournament. That last part is a lie. He's our newest contributor to Hardwood Paroxysm. That part is not a lie. Revel in him. He opens with a discussion of hoops junkiehood, and the joys of young...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Hardwood Paroxysm, Marcus Haislip, NBA, San Antonio Spurs

The Salary Cap Hates Your Team

By Zach Harper | July 8, 2009 | Talk Hoops

Remember how the attendance was supposedly on par for NBA teams and the impending financial apocalypse of the NBA small market teams was not as dire as the crazy media made it out to be? Remember how everyone was overreacting and the NBA was going to be just fine? Well, maybe we should take a look at this report from ESPN.com: In a memo announcing next season's salary cap and luxury-tax threshold, sent out shortly before the league's annual July moratorium on signings and trades was lifted at 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday, NBA teams also received tentative projections from the league warning that the cap is estimated to drop to somewhere between $50.4 million and $53.6 million for the 2010-11 season.The official league memorandum, obtained by ESPN.com, forecasts a dip in basketball-related income in the 2009-10 season of 2.5 percent to 5 percent, which threatens to take the 2010-11 cap...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Financial Ruin, NBA

LeBron James Steals Passes and Tapes

By Zach Harper | July 8, 2009 | Talk Hoops

We all know how prolific LeBron James is at shooting the passing lanes with the closing speed of Deion Sanders to pluck the ball out of mid-air and turn it into a SportsCenter Top 10 clip. I mean, it's really quite incredible to watch the entire thing happen, almost in slow motion, while in real life it probably takes no more than three or four seconds before he punctuates the play with a tomahawk exclamation. But when he gets dunked on by a college player at a Nike Basketball Skills Camp that he's hosting, he's even better at stealing things. This comes from a Wizards Extreme Forum that was passed along through the Truth About It Twitter: On Monday night at the Nike LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, NBA star Lebron James was dunked on huge by Xavier's Jordan Crawford with a vicious two-hander. Unfortunately you won't be...

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, NBA

Analysis of Boston's Addition of Rasheed Wallace

By Celticsfanatic | July 8, 2009 | Celtics 17

As you all know, the Celtics negotiated with free agent forward Rasheed Wallace, who has verbally agreed to join the C's, and looks to sign a two-year deal for the full mid-level exception on Wednesday. The addition of Sheed will impact the team in a way I can't yet figure out. His off-court attitude will certainly be a problem, especially if he's going to be with us for two years (unless trades or injuries change that). But it's been said that teammates love him and guys think he's a winner. After all, Kevin Garnett did hunt him down. After the jump, analysis on the great Rasheed Wallace (kidding on the "great" part guys, no need to bash me... or is there?)....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Doc Rivers, Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, NBA, Paul Pierce, Portland Trail Blazers, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallace, Ray Allen

NBA Outsider: Memphis Grizzlies Draft Follow Up

By Staff Report | June 30, 2009 | MVN Outsider

3 Shades of Blue tells how this years draft picks are not super stars but certainly upgrades.WHEN THE DRAFT GIVES YOU LEMONS..... The Memphis Grizzlies exercised all three of the picks with which they entered the 2009 NBA draft-nos. 2, 27, and 36, selecting Hasheem Thabeet, Demarre Carroll, and Sam Young. Sure, when the year 2020 comes around, the potential for this year's draft crop to be viewed as one of the best ever is pretty low-but as the title states, the draft might give you lemons...and sometimes the lemonade takes a bit longer to make and isn't quite as good as Grandma's on a 90-degree day, but it should still be pretty tasty. What Michael Heisley has stated many times is that he wants to field a more defensive-oriented team (a philosophy with which I heartily agree), and this draft bears his mark in bold ink. Thabeet, Carroll, and...Read more

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, NBA, NBA Draft, NBA Outsider

NBA Rumor Mill- Shaq & Nash Doesn't Work, Cavs' Part Owners Want Yao & Raptors to Sign-and-trade Bosh

By Adam Sweeney | June 19, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Shaq & Nash Have to Part Ways?Is it only a matter of time before Shaquille O'Neal leaves the desert? The Arizona Republic thinks so and are stating that Steve Nash may want it too. Steve Nash met with general manager Steve Kerr in New York on Thursday, where the point guard made it clear that he wants to be sure about the roster before he sign an extension. The Republic says, "The problem isn't a personality clash. It's that Nash and O'Neal can't co-exist on the court. You could not piece together a worse combination to defend the pick-and-roll, one of the most elementary plays in the NBA. It's one of the glaring flaws in this basketball team, and for that and other reasons, O'Neal must be traded in the coming months."Shaquille O'Neal is better off on another team. Cleveland makes a lot of sense because they don't really run...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Chris Bosh, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash, Toronto Raptors, Yao Ming

NBA Crystal Ball: Suns Will Be Lottery Team in 2011

By Adam Sweeney | April 26, 2009 | MVN Outsider

How quickly the sun has set on Phoenix. Two years ago, Mike D'Antoni and the run and gun Suns were one Amare Stoudemire suspension away from likely winning an NBA Title. Now a team with Amare, Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal couldn't make it to the Playoffs. Granted, Amare was knocked out for the season with an eye injury, but the Suns weren't competing for the title even with him. There weren't enough shots to go around for the team. With Shaq set to retire after 2010 and Nash up for free agency in the same season, the Suns might be looking at a very cloudy situation. The word around the league is that D'Antoni might try to woo Nash to New York. Even if Nash stays, the former MVP will be 36 and it is uncertain how long he will continue to perform at a high level. I'm not...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, LeBron James, NBA, Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash

NBA Rumor Mill: Garnett isn't Out, D'Antoni Promises Roster Changes and Amare Knocks Porter

By Adam Sweeney | April 17, 2009 | MVN Outsider

The regular season is over and a slate of fantastic first round match-ups are ready to get started. But while you're watching fourteen teams do their best to prevent the inevitable Lakers-Celtics match-up, we've got out ears to the street in an attempt to find the latest buzz around the league. So put on a headband and your best throwback jersey. It's time to give you the latest rumors in the NBA.Garnett isn't Out for the Playoffs?Doc Rivers announced that Boston Celtics forward is for all intents and purposes out of the playoffs. His strained popliteus tendon, which forced him to miss 25 games in the regular season, just isn't improving the way the Celtics had hoped. But is KG really done? SI.com went hunting to find a second, third, fourth and fifth opinion of NBA trainers. The verdict? Garnett may not be done for the season. In fact, all...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Boston Celtics, David Lee, Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, Mike D'Antoni, Nate Robinson, NBA Playoffs, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns

NBA Awards: The Best of the Best

By Joe Boikess | April 14, 2009 | MVN Outsider

With only two more days remaining in the NBA regular season, it's about time to hand out my awards for the best individual performances of the season...Rookie of the Year - Derrick Rose (Bulls)My Ballot:1. Rose2. O.J. Mayo3. Brook LopezThe rookie class of 2009 was incredibly deep, but Rose gets my vote for a number of reasons. As the number one overall pick in last year's draft, he shouldered a ton of pressure and responsibility as the Bulls' new starting point guard, and yet he managed to put up consistent production for a team that was in the playoff hunt all year long. He averaged over 16 points and six assists per game and shot better than 47 percent from the field.Mayo had a great first season as well, especially in the scoring department where he averaged 18.4 points and shot a decent 38 percent from downtown. But his team,...Read more

Read more | 10 Comments | Tags: NBA

NBA Great Debates: Reaching the Conference Finals

By Staff Report | April 9, 2009 | MVN Outsider

NBA Outsider's Adam Sweeney and Joe Boikess debate the issue: Who will be the final four playoff teams alive in the NBA conference finals?Adam Sweeney argues that the Magic and Rockets will join the Lakers and Cavaliers:As huge of a college hoops fans that I am, the Final Four was about as exciting as watching Fast and Furious (sorry if anybody liked that movie). In honor of the Final Four and merciless beat down the North Carolina Tar Heels gave the Michigan State Spartans, why don't we choose our own Final Four for the NBA playoffs? Are you up for that, old chap? Sorry Joe. I'll never call you old chap again.I think we can both agree that the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers are going to make it to their respective conference finals. L.A. has shown itself to be the elite team in the Western Conference and Cleveland...Read more

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: NBA, NBA Playoffs

NBA Great Debates: Cuban Criticizes Refs Via Twitter

By Staff Report | April 3, 2009 | MVN Outsider

NBA Outsider's Joe Boikess and Adam Sweeney debate the issue: Did the NBA go too far by fining Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for his Twitter remarks?Joe Boikess believes the NBA is out of line:In the interest of full disclosure, I should probably confess one thing before getting into this topic. As many of my readers know, I am a near-lifelong fan of the Dallas Mavericks and its colorful owner, Mark Cuban. For objectivity's sake, I have put my allegiance as a Mavs fan aside for this debate.With that in mind, I can still confidently say as a neutral follower of this issue that the NBA was once again out of line in fining Cuban for criticizing the referees, this time via Twitter.Since Cuban became the Mavericks owner more than nine years ago, he's racked up a bill with the NBA for more than $1.5 million, mostly for criticism...Read more

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, NBA, Twitter

NBA Stock Market: Raptors Finding Late Season Groove

By Joe Boikess | March 30, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Toronto gets some love this week for their improved play, while the Suns and Mavericks are both trying their best not to move up in the West standings...Rising:Toronto Raptors - If only the Raptors were playing this well at the beginning of the season. Despite surrendering a 17-point lead and giving up 42 fourth quarter points to the Bulls (winners of seven of eight games), Toronto was able to hold on in overtime and win their season-high fourth game in a row. Jose Calderon dropped a career-best 19 dimes, Chris Bosh had 31 points and 15 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani added 28 points to pace the Raptors in their highest scoring game in franchise history. Toronto is currently seven games out of the East's eighth spot with nine games remaining. Might we be seeing a last-ditch, come-from-behind attempt at sneaking into the playoffs from a team that has woefully underachieved...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors

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